Although the operations to reattach amputated limbs are, without doubt, great technical achievements, it could be argued that the patient may be more handicapped, in some instances, with a replanted upper extremity than with an amputation. The literature reviewed in this article indicates that there is no guarantee that a replanted limb will have good functional recovery. However, the evidence is not conclusive that, in the majority of cases, amputation is preferable to replantation.
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